any mid 80's Chevy K10 guru's here?

[Tallpine]

I'm always amazed how people manage to score free cars and guns. I always have to pay for mine. I am the 99%!

 

Actually, I had somebody offer us a 1972 K-20 when we first moved out here.  It had a stranger bale handler in the p/u bed that needed to be removed, along with a hydro pump mounted right on the engine.  Hadn't been started in years.

I was busy and decided it was too much project to take on at the time, plus I would have preferred giving them something for it just to be fair.

Now about eight years later I wonder if they still have it...?  It will have sat that much longer.  I would probably just need to have it towed to a shop and pay to have it fixed up. 

[charby]

It had a stranger bale handler in the p/u bed

I got knocked on my ass one time by one of those.

I was deer hunting in the cattle grazing parts of Iowa and the farmer checking his cattle drove over to me to see if we had killed a lot of deer. After we chatted I started to walk away he turned the truck to drive away and the fork caught me knocked me down. I luckly missed a nice fresh cowpie.

[zxcvbob]

Actually, I had somebody offer us a 1972 K-20 when we first moved out here. 

I like the 71's and 72's body style.  I think they changed it in 1973.  The 73's are probably easier to get parts for because they didn't change again until about 1986 or 87.

[Frank Castle]

For parts look at YearOne . I'm pretty sure you can build a Chevy truck trough mail order.

[charby]

I like the 71's and 72's body style.  I think they changed it in 1973.  The 73's are probably easier to get parts for because they didn't change again until about 1986 or 87.

1974 was the body style switch

[Tallpine]

I like the 71's and 72's body style.  I think they changed it in 1973.  The 73's are probably easier to get parts for because they didn't change again until about 1986 or 87.

You don't have to tell me

My mom bought a new 1971 K-10 while I was in HS (she traded in a 1969 C-10).

I bought a brand new 1973 K-20.  Traded it in on a 1980 K-10.

After I sold the 1980, we eventually ended up with the 1971 for a while, until we got our first suburban a 1977 (kids, you see   ).

Then I bought a 1976 C-20 which I still have.

Later we traded the 1977 sub off on a 1991 sub which is still the same basic body/chassis as 73-87 gm pickups (sub didn't change until 1992).

So with some exceptions, that basic vehicle is all that I've ever owned  

The 67-72 bodies were a bit tougher than the 73-87/91. I still like the 1960-66 body style better, but it was sadly prone to rust.  Let's see... I guess that I have only owned 2 of those: a half ton short stepside, and a C-60 GMC, both 1965's.  I also had a 1958 C-60  

1974 was the body style switch

Nope - see above, I bought a brand new 1973 in the newer body style.

[gunsmith]

Took it for a quick spin, wont have money to refuel until next week.
It went from half tank to 1/4 tank in ten minutes, gonna have to learn mechanic stuff.

I couldn't find any info on tire pressure, it was difficult to steer so I'm guessing that I need to inflate to 80psi and probably get new power steering fluid in there too,

With a budget of 300 a month and the parts store a 300 mile round trip - I have to be sure about what I need, what I can do my self and what I cant.

So, summing up, in order to make it EMP proof I have to get parts from a early seventies K10 , the carb is an Edelbrook so that's OK.

I think I'm going to concentrate on fixing windows before fixing AC, it does get pretty hot out here but imo opening a window is more important then AC which can use up gas quicker.

Of course getting all the hoses and rubber replaced and the fluids replaced is a must do asap as well.

Now about shifting into 4 wheel drive, I have an automatic not a stick, I put the truck in neutral THEN shift into 4H ... right?

( the warn hubs now move freely after a quick drive, thank goodness )

The truck has dual tanks, there is a switch on the dash but it doesn't say which tank is which, once I find a clymer or a chilton the book should tell me ... right?

Am I forgetting anything?

[zxcvbob]

Took it for a quick spin, wont have money to refuel until next week.
It went from half tank to 1/4 tank in ten minutes, gonna have to learn mechanic stuff.

I couldn't find any info on tire pressure, it was difficult to steer so I'm guessing that I need to inflate to 80psi and probably get new power steering fluid in there too,

With a budget of 300 a month and the parts store a 300 mile round trip - I have to be sure about what I need, what I can do my self and what I cant.

So, summing up, in order to make it EMP proof I have to get parts from a early seventies K10 , the carb is an Edelbrook so that's OK.

I think I'm going to concentrate on fixing windows before fixing AC, it does get pretty hot out here but imo opening a window is more important then AC which can use up gas quicker.

Of course getting all the hoses and rubber replaced and the fluids replaced is a must do asap as well.

Now about shifting into 4 wheel drive, I have an automatic not a stick, I put the truck in neutral THEN shift into 4H ... right?

( the warn hubs now move freely after a quick drive, thank goodness )

The truck has dual tanks, there is a switch on the dash but it doesn't say which tank is which, once I find a clymer or a chilton the book should tell me ... right?

Am I forgetting anything?

50# is a much better place to start with tire pressure than 75 or 80. 
My old truck had dual tanks, but the switch didnt work, and one of the tanks had the filler missing anyway.

The gas gauges are terribly inaccurate.  It should tell you whether it's full or empty or somewhere in between, but that's all you really need isn't it? The "somewhere in between" part is seldom accurate or linear.

Air conditioning should be your last priority.  I never did get around to fixing it in mine, even when I lived in Houston. 

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

before you spend money how about tossing what you need out here.  its remotely possible one of us might have "a spare" in what you need on the shelf ot attached to a rusting hulk in the yard

[charby]

Nope - see above, I bought a brand new 1973 in the newer body style.

You're right, some odd reason I had '74 in my head as the body style switch.

[RoadKingLarry]

On a slightly related note, my '83 Chevy 1/2 ton rolled up 66666.6 on the way home this morning. That's actual accurate mileage by the way.

[Tallpine]

Now about shifting into 4 wheel drive, I have an automatic not a stick, I put the truck in neutral THEN shift into 4H ... right?

Nah, you can shift between 2H and 4H without stopping.  Just make sure you are not spinning your wheels at the time.

Generally of course, you're going to be going pretty slow when doing such a thing.

IIRC, they came out with electronic ignition in 1975 (I was working for a dealer at the time so I'm pretty sure I'm right about that).

[charby]

So, summing up, in order to make it EMP proof I have to get parts from a early seventies K10 , the carb is an Edelbrook so that's OK.

The electronic ignition in GMC from the era of your truck is pretty reliable. So much easier than points.

[Tallpine]

The electronic ignition in GMC from the era of your truck is pretty reliable. So much easier than points.

I started liking electronic ignition after our 1971 K-20 wouldn't start after camping on the beach for 3 days :(

Fortunately I had a spare pair of points in the glove box.  That got it going and we later stopped at a Walmart for a new dist cap.

[Hawkmoon]

should I add fresh gas or run that gas out first an add some more? Staple a blanket to the front seat?

What's in the tank is more akin to varnish than gasoline. You should siphon it out, pour in 5 or 10 gallons of fresh gas, and a couple of bottles of fuel system cleaner.

[gunsmith]

The electronic ignition in GMC from the era of your truck is pretty reliable. So much easier than points.

is it so reliable that when the solar maximum happens and an EMP burst sends technology back to the 30's it will still work?

[charby]

is it so reliable that when the solar maximum happens and an EMP burst sends technology back to the 30's it will still work?

We're all *expletive deleted*ed then, your truck not working is the least of your worries then.

[gunsmith]

We're all *expletive deleted*ed then, your truck not working is the least of your worries then.

 

from the research I've been doing, most pre 80's cars/trucks will work just fine & those people with working vehicles will be like the one eyed man in the land of the blind.

My truck worked with 2 1/2 yr old gas in it, there will be plenty of gas in the vehicles left idle on the road, I  can trade rides for the gas in their tanks.

[Tallpine]

My truck worked with 2 1/2 yr old gas in it

The folks I used to work for in the winter in between logging seasons had a 1966 K-20 pickup with the 292 six that they used mostly to feed cows.

It sat up by the haystack and had to be started in -40 weather without any block heater.

My friend's dad said it was getting hard to start so I was sent up to look at it one hot afternoon when it got up to about -10.

The spark plugs were so fouled that you could hardly see the electrodes   

But it was still starting at -40 

I put a new set of plugs in it and it roared to life the next morning